Stalk-cutter.



G. R. SPIVA.

STALK CUTTER.

APPLIoATIoN rILIzn AUG. s, 1912.

11,059,404.;` Patented Apr. 22, 191%.`

3 BHEETFBHEBT 2.

MIHIAUUHIIHHH we, in

G. R.`SPIVA.

STALK GUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9, 1912. Y 11,059,404. Panam-,ed Apnzz, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

` l, y? z `UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE i GEORGE R. `SEIV.A,1I!` STEEDMAN, OKLAHOMA,: SSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF T0 JAMES LAUGHLIN, OF STEEDMAN; OKLAHOMA.

s'raLmcUTTnn. 1

Specioation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.` 22,1913.

To all lwhom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE `R; Selva, a citizen of `the United States, -residlngl at Steedman, in the county of Pontotoc, State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stalk-Cutters; and I do hereby `declare the following `to b'e a full, clear, and exact description` of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the :art to which it appertains to make and use the same. l

This invention relates to stalk cutters and has forfan object to provide a stalk cutter having Va presser roller which works in advance of the cuttingknives and holds down the stalks during `the cutting operation.

A further ob]ect ofthe invention lis t0 provide a stalk cutter `havingoppositely 1rotatable knives for operating upon the pressed down stalks.

Astill further object lot the invention is to provide means for raising and lowering i the knives and for varying the pressure nf the `presser roller.

With the above objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter Jfully described and claimed, itbeing understood that various modifications may be made in the minor `details of construction within the `scope of the appended claims.`

In the accompanyin drawings forming` part of this speciicat1on:-Figure 1 is a; plan view of the stalk cutter. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the stalk cutter. Fig. `3 is a rear elevation of the stalk cutter. Fig.` 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 1 4 Fig. 1. Fig.`5 is a `longitudinal` sectional view takenon the line- Fig. `1 showing the manner `of varying the pressure of the presser roller. Fig. 6 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 6-6 Fig. 1 showing the manner of throwing the knives out of gear. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig.

4 showing the manner of raising the 'knives i to released position, and :Fig 8 `is a frag-` mentary plan view showing the clutch released.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts, the machine is shown to comprise an axle 'formed in two lengths 10 and 11, the inner ends being loosely ittedin the lateral branches 12 of afour-way couplingl. A

. normally exerting a pair of sleeves 14 are mounted` onthe outerz ends of the axle, and to these sleeves are terminally fixed the branches of the main; frame 16 of 4the machineythe frame being` substantially `U-shaped inoutline and being; equipped with a draft tongue 16. Ground wheels 17 are fixed to the ends of the axle outside of the `sleeves 14:.` Both lengths of vthe axle are rotated in the sleeves 14 and lat-` eral` branches `of the four-way couplingl through the instrumentality ofthe groun wheels 17 Fixed to the length `11 of the axle is abevel gear 18.` A stub shaft 1-9 is i revolubly fitted in the longitudinal: branches 20er the four-Way couplingand 1s equipped in advance of the axle with a bevel pinion 21 `which meshes with the bevel gear. The

shaft is equipped at therear end with a cutter` comprisin plurality of blades bein 1connected by an annular ring 24 near the ub. A sleeve 25 is mounted on the stub shaft in rear of the axle and is equipped meshes withl the bevel gear, 18, theesleeve being further equi ped with a cutter similar tothe above descri a hubl 27 from which a plurality of blades 28 extend'` radially, the blades being connected by an annular ring 29.

Both of the above described cuttersare rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by virtueiof their driving `pinions meshlng a hub 22 from `which a p radlal blades 23 extend, the

with a bevel pinion 26 which ed cutter and comprising withthebevel gear 18 on opposite sides of i the axle.

For holding the cutters in gear, a sleeve 30 is fixed to the length 10 of the axle, a helical spring 31 is seated on the axlebeand tween this sleeve and the adjacent lateral branchlof the four-way coupling, the spring ressure upon the coupling sulicient to ho d the pinions in-mesh with the bevel gear.` For throwing the cutters out of gear, a sleeve 32 is mounted on the length 10 of the axle and is anchored stationary to theframe by 'a link 33. An operating lever 34 is pivoted as shown at 35 to a notched standard 36 carried by `the sleeve and is connected to the four-way cou pling shifted` the four-way coupling is slid outwardly against the tension of thespring `31 and both pinions are disenga by,a link `37. Upon the lever being;

ed from the bevel gear.; A spring `contro led pawl 38 i carried by the operating vlever engages the ,notched-segment and serves to flocky the lever u in o .erative or released position.`

f'llie'cutters maybe rocked onthe-axle as a Apivot Ainto raised or' lowered lposltion b`y means* of .an operating lever 39 whichispivoted to a notched segment 40 carried by the :draft 16 and is-connectedl by. means of a link 41 `to the meeting ends of a c air of divergent links. 42 which are terminal y connected respectively to the sleeve 20. The, cutters may be'A raised to released .position by rocking the -lever439 forwardly,'one of the 'links 42 during this movementNaf the lever vserving to pull upwardly the rear. en d ofthe `stub shaft` 19 andthe other serving.

vto shove downwardlythe front end. of the -stub1slhaft with a resultant :rocking` of the four-Way coupling' on thev axle as a pivot andl elevation yofl both cutters'to raised position. Al springfcontrolled, pawl 43 carried bythe lever 39 engages .the notchedl segment and locks the, lever in operative or released position.

A presser roller 44 is suspended below the,-

axle to press down the stalks'in advanceof loose sleeves v45 are mounted on f 10 and 11 of the axle/and '30 the cutters, and to attain this end a pair of :the lengths' are equipped onV the rear sides withtubular bearings 46. A pair ofhanger rods 47 are slidably tted in f .the bearings and are pivotally connected at the lower ends to the shaft 48 of the presser roller. n Eachhanger -rod is encircled Aby a.

helical spring 49 which bears terminallyV against'the lower `end ofthe related `tubular bearingand against astop shoulder `50 on downward pressure the pressure `stalks may be varied; .n

" thefdistance apart of 4on vsaid axle,

the roller. is disposedconsiderablyin rear: henceV `by shifting the lever 51` of the presser roller "upon the n of the axle,

In operation the stalks uarelir'st pressed rotarycutters advance lover the stalks and down by the presser roller and 4*thenf both I chop the same tinto lengths 'corresponding to the' cutters What is claimed, is :-l

' '1.'A` stalk cutter -y including fa `wheeled E frame, a' plurality 1 of -clutch vcontrolled {cutsters, means for simultaneously rotatingr said-- vcutters in opposite directions,

frame, toward and away fromsaid cutters. 4

2.. A stalkfcutter includin a main-frame carried .there y, a bevel gear a stub ,shaft extending ,.trans-' `a `spring con-,7 vtrolled presser roller ldepending -fromf said e andi means for shifting said roller-' l av'wheeled-axle,

verselyof said axle, apinion'on said shaft meshing with said bevel "gear, a sleeve on r,said shaft, a pinio'nEon-said sleeve-meshing; with said gear,'a cutter fixed 'toand rotated by said shaft, and a cutter fixed to and rotated by said sleeve, said cutters rotatin simultaneously in opposite directions 3. Astalk cutter includin a main frame carriedythere la wheeled axle, t y, ab'evel gear 4 on'said axle, a transverse stub shaft secured'l Y for revoluble andy slidingfmovement longipinion on said shaft:

tudinally of said axle, a meshing with saidfbevel gear, a rotary'cutf ter fixed vto said shaft, a a bevel pinion onsaid said gear, means -for rocking `said stub shaft lon Asaid axle to raise said cutter to released position, and means rrf or slidingL vsaid .Said gear.

sleeve on said shaft, 1 Sleeve meshing with '11; a ,rotary 4cutter on saidl sleeve,

l rockvshaft Yon said axle toward ,and away fromxsaid-gear to engage and disengagesaid pinions from In testimony whereof,f I myasign'ature, i-n presence of two witnesses?,

GEoRcE a srIvA. 

